1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-layered color light-sensitive material and, more particularly, to a multi-layered color light-sensitive material whose color reproducibility, color image sharpness and graininess are improved by using a compound having specific chemical structure and characteristics capable of selectively providing an interlayer color-correcting effect.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Usually, a multi-layered color photographic light-sensitive material comprises two or more light-sensitive emulsion layer units, each of which light-sensitive emulsion layer unit performs an independent function. That is, conventional multi-layered color photographic light-sensitive materials comprise a support having provided thereon a cyan coupler-containing light-sensitive emulsion layer (RL) mainly sensitive to red light (visible light substantially longer than about 580 nm in wavelength), a magenta coupler-containing light-sensitive emulsion layer (GL) mainly sensitive to green light (visible light substantially about 500 to 600 nm in wavelength) and a yellow coupler-containing light-sensitive emulsion layer (BL) mainly sensitive to blue light (light substantially shorter than about 500 nm in wavelength). In addition, an interlayer (ML), a filter layer (FL) for filtering out light in the ultraviolet region or of a particular wavelength region, an antihalation layer (AHL), an interlayer performing a masking function (ML), a protective layer (PL) and the like are provided so that each of the above-described light-sensitive emulsion layer units can perform its own independent function.
It is known to use colored couplers, the so-called "DIR couplers, DIR-hydroquinone derivatives and DIR uncolored couplers" and the like, in order to improve color reproducibility. These couplers are described in, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,449,966; 2,455,170; 2,600,788; 2,428,054; 3,148,062; 2,983,608; British Pat. No. 1,044,778 and related patents for improvements, C. R. Barr, J. R. Thirtle and P. W. Vittum, Photographic Science and Eng., vol. 13, pp. 74 - 80 (1969), ibid, pp. 214 - 217 (1969), U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,277,554; 3,620,746; 3,379,529; 3,632,345 and; 3,622,328.
Colored couplers have the serious defect that the couplers themselves are colored. With DIR couplers, since they themselves form color dyes upon color development, they are severely restricted in chemical structure so that the characteristics of the color dyes themselves can satisfy various requirements for color image forming materials, and are restricted in usage (including the method for removing the color dyes from the light-sensitive material). In addition, DIR couplers heretofore obtained have the defect that they are chemically unstable. The so-called "DIR uncolored couplers" possess the defect that they are poor in coupling activity in color development.
The so-called "DIR hydroquinone derivatives" thus far known are too low in DIR activity (Development Inhibitor Releasing Activity) in a conventionally employed color developer, although they possess the advantage that they can be applied to any kind of light-sensitive emulsion layers and colloidal layers. Furthermore, they couple with an aromatic primary amine developing agent (e.g., the p-phenylenediamine series or p-aminophenol series) to form a cyan dye as a by-product (this being called "abnormal coloration"). Also, DIR hydroquinone derivatives must be immobilized in a given light-sensitive layer or colloidal layer and must be protected from light-sensitive silver halide grains, which is generally difficult. Otherwise, DIR hydroquinone couplers would function as a so-called "IRD (Inhibitor Releasing Developer)", and stable, strong interlayer interimage effect and the effect of improving color image sharpness could not be attained. It has been found that, where hydroquinone derivatives are used in a multi-layered light-sensitive material, immobilized in a specific colloidal layer only insufficiently and not protected from light-sensitive silver halide grains, the interlayer interimage effect which can essentially occur between the light-sensitive emulsion layers is seriously reduced in general.